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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23210596">The Story of How Merlin Died</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdyBrooke14/pseuds/AdyBrooke14'>AdyBrooke14</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Hospitals, I’m very sorry, Major character death - Freeform, Terminal Illnesses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:26:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,586</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23210596</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdyBrooke14/pseuds/AdyBrooke14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: I came out of my room to see my best friend sobbing in the kitchen. Turns out she was listening in on my phone call and knows that I’m going to die soon.</p><p>Or</p><p>Arthur overhears Merlin having a conversation with his doctor by accident and it isn’t positive news.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Freya/Merlin (Merlin), Gaius &amp; Merlin (Merlin), Gwaine &amp; Merlin (Merlin), Gwen &amp; Merlin (Merlin), Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Lancelot &amp; Merlin (Merlin), Merlin &amp; Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Story of How Merlin Died</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I bit my lip nervously, working it back and fourth. My phone paused for several heartbeats as I paced restlessly across my bathroom floor. The door was locked, I knew my mother would be home any second. I couldn’t afford for her to hear this conversation.</p><p>“Merlin? Son, are you still there?”</p><p>“Yes. Yeah, I- I’m still here.”</p><p>“Look, I know this has cone as a shock to you...”</p><p>“No, Dr. Gaius, you diagnosed me a while back. It’s my fault I’ve reacted in such a state.”</p><p>“You can hardly be blamed, Merlin. We both know this form of illness moves quickly, there isn’t a known cure.”</p><p>“Just- how long do I have doctor? How long do I have to live?”</p><p>I felt a wave of numbness crash over me. Every emotion contained within my body drained from me at once, depleting me mentally and physically as I shakily slumped to the floor against the shower.</p><p>“Two months, give or take.”</p><p>“That’s all?”</p><p>“Merlin, we’ve only just discovered this ailment. We hardly know what it is, let alone how to cure it or seek treatment.”</p><p>My hand tightened around the phone, if that was even possible at this point given my lethal death grip. </p><p>“What would you have me do?” I rasped.</p><p>“My advice: live life to the fullest for as long as you can. It’ll be rough but now is your chance to complete your bucket list or fufill your wishes. You’re still young, travel the globe! I might be able to pull a few strings and find you some generous sponsers my boy.”</p><p>“Thank you. Thank you so much Gaius.”</p><p>“I only wish I could do more, Merlin.”</p><p>“Gaius, you’re the one whose kept me sane this past week. I couldn’t have done it without you.”</p><p>“You still haven’t told anyone?” I could hear Gaius’s frown through the phone.</p><p>“Who would even care, Gaius?”</p><p>“Oh, I don’t want to hear it! Your mother, first of all! Not to mention Arthur, Lancelot, Freya, Gwaine...”</p><p>“Okay, okay, I get it. Fine, I’ll tell them. Eventually.”</p><p>“I guess I can accept that. Well, I musr attend to some other patients but I hope to hear back from you quickly young man!”</p><p>“Of course, Gaius.”</p><p>     I quickly ended the call and rushed to dry my tear stains from several minutes ago. I looked like a wreck, my bright red cheeks flushed against my already pale skin. I reached for the door handle to walk out of the bathroom, when a large, broad figure collapsed on the floor in front of me. I gasped in surpise as a blur of blond hair whirled passed my face. Only when the person now on the floor rolled over on their back did I realize who it was. </p><p>“Arthur!” I growled but my angry expression didn’t keep for long. As I met his eyes I saw just how distraught he was. His face was soaked with hot tears covering his cheeks, his glassy eyes glazed over from pain and he seemed to curl in on himself, gasping for air. He looked ten times worse than I even felt. I dropped to my knees immediately and drew him into a tight hug. He shook violently in my grasp, wraping his large arms around me.</p><p>“You dollop head! You listened in on my call didn’t you!”</p><p>He nodded meekly, like a child that had been caught stealing a lollipop from the gas station. How on earth could I stay mad at this man, I had been his best and closest friend for ten years! I had known him longer than my first and only partener, Freya. </p><p>     Freya and I had been dating for three years know, and we were on our senior year of high school. I felt bad about Arthur knowing first, I had planned on telling Freya tonight. I had already come to terms with our relationship, knowing we would have no future, and I felt guilty for burdening her with my illness. No doubt she would have expected me to propose by next year. We would have had at least had three kids, obviously boys, and I would have spoiled them rotten. Of course she would have to move on soon though. She was young, beautiful. My Freya, my marvelous, one of a kind Freya would have to find someone else. Build the future we had dreamed of with another man.</p><p>     I forced back my tears and turned my attention back to Arthur. He needed me right now. I rubbed his back comfortingly and drug him into a standing position. Once he could breathe again, I lead him to the couch and rushed to hand him a cup of tea.</p><p>“Merlin.” He choked. “Why are you the one comforting me? I should be-“</p><p>“Sh. Arthur, breathe. It’ll all work out.”</p><p>“How can you bloody look me in the face and say that! You don’t deserve this. You are going to literally, freaking die!”</p><p>He was getting extremely mad now, I could hear it in his voice. They way it was almost to the point of cracking in anger.</p><p>“How could this happen to you, of all people? You are the most selfess, kind hearted, generous, loving person I have ever met! You shouldn’t have to face this!”</p><p>“I have you now, to help me.”</p><p>“A lot of good I am! Does Freya know?”</p><p>“No, I-“</p><p>“Geez, Merlin! Did you just plan to go off and bury yourself without a soul on this living earth knowing?”</p><p>“Arthur, please.” My voice cracked this time, I felt rough from exerting myself in trying to soothe my best friend. Arthur must have noticed my predicament because he slowly scooched over against me and drew me into a bo e crushing hug. I sighed and leaned into him, greatful I wouldn’t have to do this alone.</p><p> </p><p>                                          ——————————————— </p><p> </p><p>The next week Arthur made me tell the group. Freya first, after Arthur or course. She was devasted and it was all I could do to keep her from convincing herself to end her own life to die with me. Eventually, I made her promise me that she would find a new life. She assured me she would try, but swore to stay by my side until I took my last breath. At that point I was so shook from the heartfelt moment it was all I could do was squeeze her hand. From that point on, each time she kissed me she held me like it would be our last.</p><p>Lancelot was next. He was the next closest person to me, having met me in sixth grade. We had always been close friends and we had only gotten tighter this year now that he played football with Arthur. Lance had hugged me tightly and vowed like the gentlemen he was to make sure my mother was alright. I had broke my illness to her as soon as Arthur left that afternoon I told him.</p><p>After Lancelot was Gwaine. Gwaine had almost laughed, telling himself I was meerly joking. Once he saw the sincerity in my expression he took a long swig from his bottle of who knew what at the moment. He had been angry at first, raging uncontrollably and smashing his bottle on the counter. I managed to calm him down eventually and for the rest of my short life span I never saw him take another drink. When I asked him about it, he explained with a broken heart I deserved him at 100%, it was the least he could do according to him. He told me I deserved to be greived properly and not over a bottle of beer.</p><p>Last was Guinevere. My oldest and sweetest friend. I had known her my whole life. She was currently dating Arthur, and was pained to see him so wrecked. She came to me, asking what brought him to his current state. With an already stone heart at this point, I simply told her the truth. In that moment nothing felt more like home than her arms around my neck as she comforted me. She swore to look after Freya once I was gone and from that day on, I found a basket of chocolate chip cookies on my dining room table every Monday.</p><p>Freya and Arthur refused to leave my side from that moment on, never letting me out of their sight unless it was to use the restroom. Arthur slept in the floor of my room every night for the next month until I got moved into the hosptial. Freya begged me to go on a trip and spend time with her, but I told her I was content staying at home with the ones I loved. I could tell Arthur was relieved, it would have broken him with me being gone so long. Each night the group did something with me. Whether it was go out to eat pizza, or staying at home to watch a movie on the couch, or play board games for three hours. I hoped this time we spent getting closer wouldn’t make my death harder for them. </p><p>In the end, I left this world with probably the dopiest smile on my face. Even with an oxygen mask, how could I not be happy? Freya was curled up on my chest to my right holding my hand. Arthur was asleep in the chair beside my bed, and with all at peace in the world I closed my eyes for the last time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I’m sorry for this, but in my experience ice cream solves everything. I hope you weren’t injured too badly in the feels. I’m so sorry. No I’m not, I regret nothing.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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